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UPM Tilhill appoints dedicated Red Squirrel Ranger

UPM Tilhill, the UK's leading forestry and environmental works company, has appointed Holly Rogerson to the newly-created role of Red Squirrel Ranger.

The appointment follows the Forestry Commission's pledge of £153,000 to UPM Tilhill to help protect the rare red squirrel population in the Yorkshire Dales.

"Holly will work full-time to keep grey squirrels out of the protected nature reserve in the UPM Tilhill-managed Greenfield Forest near Hawes, Langstrothdale using humane live traps," explained George Hay, Deputy District Manager, North West England, UPM Tilhill. "The aim is to push the animal back beyond a buffer zone set up around the forest, allowing reds to strengthen their foothold."

The decline in red squirrel populations in England is principally due to the North American grey squirrel. Not only are they better at competing for food but they also carry the parapox virus, which is lethal to reds.

Red Squirrels were first confirmed in Greenfield Forest in 2004. It is a large, principally coniferous, woodland covering 1,075 hectares. The conifers produce a small seed enough to keep red squirrels nourished but not suitable for the greys. Greenfield, which last year became the country's 17th red squirrel reserve, is one of four in the Yorkshire Dales.

"Together with the Forestry Commission, the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Save Our Squirrels, UPM Tilhill is working to create a reserve robust enough to act as a reservoir for the red squirrels to migrate to other suitable areas," added George Hay.

Holly joins UPM Tilhill having been self employed in the agricultural sector. Her interest in the forest spans many years and has recently been controlling Grey Squirrels at Greenfield on a voluntary basis. She is based at UPM Tilhill's North West England office at Kirby Lonsdale and lives close to Greenfield Forest, in Langstrothdale.